The Flip of a Coin
by Boxster Girl
Summary: I wondered about the conversation between Morelli and Ranger that led to the coin toss outside the Cluck in a Bucket. Here is the story that grew from it. Eventually "A Salt Cake" should fit in with this.
1. Chapter 1

**Here's to the lady who made me drive 87 miles just to smell some shower gel, Janet Evanovich. She owns the characters and a lot of the plot. Thanks to Janet for letting me play with her friends. And, as always, I promise to have them home in time for dinner.**

**Author's Note: I know this is short. It is a start.**

_Prologue:_

"_Why the Hell, don't you find your own girl, Manoso?"_

"_Why did you leave your woman handcuffed naked to a shower rod for me to find?" Ranger replied._

"_She called you? DAMMIT!" That's when Joe Morelli realized couldn't blame anyone else for this stupid competition. They were walking a half block up the street to the place where sky glowed, orange and smoky gray. The Cluck in a Bucket was on fire. Lights strobed from cop cars and fire engines in the parking lot. Disaster seemed to follow her. It didn't matter. Steph could burn down the Statehouse. Joe would always love her. He always had. True, he'd played hard and fast with the ladies for ten years. But he gave it up when Stephanie explained with a '57 Buick exactly why running around wasn't a good idea. _

_He couldn't take it anymore. It had to stop, even if he had to walk away from Steph. "I'll tell you what," Joe said. They were walking across the parking lot now. He could see her. She had a yellow bird hat duct taped to her greasy wet curls. Pink foam looked like confetti strewn all over her. "I'll flip you for her. Loser cleans Stephanie up."_

"_I hear there's a good car wash on the corner of Hamilton and Market." Ranger said._

"_Loser also gets a clear playing field with her." _

"_Stephanie isn't a game."_

"_I was speaking metaphorically. I know she's not a game. One more thing," Joe continued, "We work in a risky business. If something happens to one of us the other picks up the slack. Stephanie will always be taken care of." She would have been livid, had they been close enough for her to hear this conversation. It didn't matter. Ranger knew exactly what Morelli was saying. _

"_Agreed."_

_Then they reached her. Stephanie went into a detailed explanation of her latest fiasco. "Call it," Morelli said._

"_Heads."_

_Joe flipped a quarter high into the air. It arced, bounced once on landing then spun in ever smaller concentric circles. It stopped at Stephanie's feet._

"_I guess I have to clean her up," Joe said._


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: I'm sorry to take so long to post. I'll try to post more often. (Like maybe in the same season ;) **

**I'm still very new to fan fiction. I have two one shots and this story. Thank you for reviewing my story, you're awesome!**

**Flip of the Coin**

**Chapter 1**

In the Burg a softball game is a family event. They lay fleece blankets across the wide cement steps that make up the bleachers. Moms discuss handbags and keep the game's score. Preschoolers chase older cousins through the tunnels to the snack bar. Sizzling sounds and frying burger smells float back out to the stands.

At this game two older boys tossed a ball to each other warming up for the next game. One of the boys said, "Last time we played 'em we beat 'em 8 to 3."

"Yeah, we'll cream 'em again."

The girl at home plate made little circular motions with her bat as she waited for the pitch.

"Come on Mickie! Hit it home!" Her dad, wearing a blue cap, yelled.

"You're not even cheering for the right team. Come on, be our third out!" said the man sitting next to him, wearing a red cap.

The batter turned and stuck her tongue out at him. "No fair Uncle Brian," she said.

The uncle laughed.

Ranger Manoso almost smiled. He watched the girl on the pitcher's mound wind up her pitch. Her wild, curly, brown hair was tied in a ponytail that poked through her ball cap. Even though he'd never met Arianna, he'd recognize Stephanie's daughter anywhere. The hair was a dead giveaway. She threw the ball and the girl at bat sent it skyward with a crack. The right fielder caught the pop fly.

The teams switched sides. Ranger turned his attention back to the stands. He was here for a meeting. The fact that Stephanie Morelli didn't know they were meeting didn't bother him. She'd find out soon enough. What bothered him was the effect time had on her.

Ten years ago she was the softest thing he'd ever held. He closed his eyes and remembered Stephanie pressed against him. She always wore four inch heels when they went out. She'd tuck her head into the crook of his neck as the music slowed and her curls tickled his nose. They smelled like fresh rain. Everything seemed possible when he held her close, well, almost everything.

The woman who sat three levels below him had changed. She wore tennis shoes. Her shoulders were tense. Her arms were wrapped around her middle. While she was still beautiful, this Stephanie was too thin. As he watched, her dad returned back from the snack bar with a hamburger and a box of popcorn. She shook her head when Frank offered her the popcorn.

Ranger frowned. _What happened to Cluck in a Bucket chicken, Tasty Cakes and peanut butter sandwiches? _He walked down the steps until he reached her. "Hello Stephanie."

"Ranger? Ranger Manoso, I don't believe it." She wrapped her arms around him in an impetuous hug.

Her hair brushed his chin._ It still smells like rain,_ he thought. When her breasts rubbed against him he almost sighed. Instead, he stepped out of the hug. He wasn't going to let old desires cloud his future.

"Arianna is a pretty good pitcher," he said.

Stephanie grinned. "She gets it from Joe. He was on the varsity team in high school. I couldn't hit the side of a barn."

"How is she with cars?" Ranger asked.

"She hasn't blown any up, if that's what you're asking. But I won't have to worry about that for six years."

"Something to look forward to then."

Stephanie smiled.

"I'm looking for help, security checks, skip tracing and pre-installation home inspections. Are you happy at the insurance office?" Ranger already knew the answer, that's why he was here. She hated her job. It didn't pay enough either. She was a receptionist. Her company had passed over her twice when they wanted new insurance agents.

"They promised me five months ago they'd teach me to become an agent, but I'm still the receptionist."

"Stop by the office Wednesday and my manager will discuss salary and benefits. I'm sure we can work something out." He handed her a business card.

"There you are," another woman said as she approached. Her hair was a bob. Frosted, it angled to smooth points at her chin. She was sleek, athletic and looked as if she were ready to run a marathon. She was; distance running was her hobby.

Ranger smiled at her then turned to Stephanie. "Stephanie, this is Gina. Gina this is Stephanie. Steph and I worked together years ago."

As they said their hellos, Gina slipped her left hand up Ranger's chest in a proprietary half hug. The diamond engagement ring glinted in the sunlight. A number of emotions chased across Stephanie's face, surprise, anger, pain, before she settled on polite interest. Ranger gave the tiniest sigh of relief this time. He could always count on his Babe to take things in stride. _His Babe?_ He thought._ Where did that come from? _

A cheer went up from the field as the game ended. "It's nice to meet you Gina. I'll stop by Haywood Street Wednesday morning. It's great to see you Ranger," Stephanie said. "Excuse me," and she walked to the bottom of the stands to congratulate her daughter on the team's win.

Frank, Stephanie's father, offered Ranger some popcorn. Ranger took a handful and sat down.

"So, you show up out of the blue with a fiancée and offer my daughter a job. Why?" Frank asked.

"I'm just keeping a promise."

"To Stephanie?"

"To Morelli."

"You're keeping a promise to a dead man? Good luck on that," Frank replied.


	3. Chapter 3

**Janet Evanovich owns almost all the characters, and a lot of the plot. I hope she's in Pittsburg watching hot men chase after Stephanie. Thanks for letting me play with your friends, Janet. They'll be home when the porch light comes on.**

**Thank you everyone for all your responses and encouragement! They made me so happy, I grinned for days. I think I responded to each one, but if I missed yours I apologize. Please, pretty please with sugar on top, review my story! Thanks again! **

**Here are a few trivia questions from the Plum series:**

**Can you name two places in Arizona mentioned in the books?**

**What phrase does Lula say at least once in each of the later books?**

**Who is married to Shirley the Whiner?**

When she arrived at Rangeman on Wednesday, Stephanie discovered that Ranger moved to Boston years ago. Tank was a full partner and her boss. Stephanie hid her disappointment that she wouldn't be working with Ranger. _At least I won't see his girlfriend wrap her body around him. _Even though she had no claim on him, at the ball park Stephanie had fought an overwhelming urge to yank Gina by the hair until she fell over the next step on the bleachers. She was glad they lived in Massachusetts. _I can play nice. I'm sure I can, but it will be much easier if they are three states away._

After a few weeks, Stephanie began to feel comfortable in her new job at Rangeman. While she mostly worked the research desk, she also took turns at the monitoring station too. The first night shift she worked the monitors she asked, "Do you ever see ghosts like they do on TAPS or Ghost Hunters International?"

"Watch that screen," said Isaiah. He had dred locks that brushed his shoulders. His body was standard Rangeman build. That meant that most people wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley. A younger man, Isaiah had been hired after she'd married Joe. Turning toward the monitor, she saw a hallway leading to a set of bedrooms. A row of pegs hung on a wall for hats and coats with a bench underneath. It was part of the security system keeping watch on a restored 1890s farmhouse. "The family claims it's haunted by the original owner, Mr. Mc Gifford. They say he wears blue and white striped overalls and a matching railroader's cap."

"Have you seen him?"

"You'll see."

The three children in the family carefully set an Oreo cookie on the bench on their way to bed. Watching the screens was dull work and the night dragged on. In addition to watching for break-ins, Stephanie found her eyes drawn to the hallway of the ghost house. It felt a bit like sitting around the campfire telling scary stories. She was getting the creeps. At three fifteen in the morning the master bedroom door opened. The Dad crept down the hall, picked up the cookie, licked the double stuff cream out of the middle, and stuck the chocolate parts back together. Placing the cookie back on the bench he looked directly at the camera and placed a shushing finger to his lips. Almost falling out of her chair laughing Stephanie turned to Isaiah. "Does that happen every night?"

"A couple times a week. When the kids call in the morning tell them all about old Mr. Mc Gifford. He's tall and skinny with wispy white hair."

"What do I say when they ask to see the recording?"

"Tell them we only keep footage from robberies."

At home Stephanie concentrated on taking care of Arianna. As long as she stayed busy she wouldn't miss Joe. She took Ari to softball games, summer science camp, and swim lessons. The evenings they spent at her parent's home or Valerie's house with the cousins. On Thursdays she dutifully took Ari to her Grandma Morelli's although Stephanie felt horribly guilty the entire time. It was all she could do to make small talk about Joe and choke down some dinner.

Every night she crawled into that big bed without him.

This was her life ever since Joe walked in on that domestic dispute six months ago. Sgt. Morelli got the children out of the house, but he wasn't that lucky. Joe was a hero.

During his viewing friends and strangers asked how she and Arianna were. They offered to help. "Anything we can do, just let us know," they'd said. She smiled hollowly and thanked them. There wasn't anything anyone could do. It smelled damp the next day and the earth was muddy under her feet at the gravesite. Sitting in the chair by the coffin she watched the 21 gun salute. Tears dripped down her face as they folded his flag. She wiped them then whispered a thank you as the Captain handed her the blue star triangle. She shivered then pulled her daughter closer. As terrible as she felt, she couldn't imagine how it was for Arianna. Stephanie, after all, still had her dad.

But she felt like a fraud. No one knew about the unfinished argument she and Joe had that last morning. She had waited all day to make an apology. It was too late. The unspoken words burned in her gut. There was no 'I'm sorry' and no chance for make-up sex. Instead she tossed and turned in a bed she couldn't bear to get rid of. Then each morning Stephanie put on her best face to start again.

She was on the second floor of Rangeman one day staring at a door labeled "Confiscated Items." She found a few changes had been made over the years to the business. They didn't bother her much, she could adapt. Tank was intimidating as ever, but she admired is calm authority. She only used company vehicles on duty and returned them each night. None of the cars ever caught fire or blew up, which was a good thing. She couldn't imagine telling Tank she'd ruined his car. Now she was staring at one of these changes. This used to be a storeroom.

"I'm looking for the extra Post-It notes," she said to a Rangeman sitting at a reception desk.

"They're on Seven," he said.

_On Seven? _Stephanie walked to the elevator feeling confused. She pushed the number seven button and it slowly rose. The only way to reach the top floor before was with a special key fob. It was Ranger's old apartment, the dragon's lair. She had spent a few nights there. Sometimes they shared his bed. Other times she slept in it alone. It was the safest place on Earth. The last time she'd been there was the weekend she told him goodbye. She'd only meant to spend Friday night. But the word goodbye got stuck in her throat. She couldn't tell Ranger she was leaving. He'd figured it out though. She got up early the next morning to slip out, but his hand grabbed her wrist as she left the bed.

"That's a hell of a goodbye Babe. At least give me the weekend."

She stayed. It was one of her favorite memories. That Monday morning, after they'd made love for the last time, Ranger asked her if there was anything she'd regret. Regrets? There were a million of them, but she had made her choice. It was Morelli. Stephanie shrugged, "We never went for a drive in your Porshe. You know, just for fun, we never went over a couple hills and through some curves. You never opened it up so I could see just how fast we could go," she said.

"Babe," he smiled sadly and kissed her cheek.

The marble hallway to dark carved door looked as it always had, polished and ornate. The doorknob to the apartment felt cool in her hand as she opened the unlocked door. She gasped. The carpeting had been removed. Rows of shelves marched on the bare cement. Boxes of pens, staplers, staples, copy paper and other office supplies were neatly stacked on them. It was the supply closet. The old dining area had metal cabinets of old case files lining the perimeter. The abandoned kitchen hadn't changed at all. Stunned, she stood in the doorway for a moment. Then Stephanie gathered her courage and turned toward the bedroom. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what lay on the other side. The door was locked.

"It's a gun safe," Lester Santos said from behind her. She jumped. "Did you really think things would stay the same after you left? Ranger offered Tank the Trenton Rangeman partnership before the week was out. Then he left for Boston. You moved on and we moved on. It's only fair."

Stephanie swallowed hard then nodded.

"Why are you here anyway? Did you think Ranger would drop everything, his life in Boston and his fiancée just to be with you again?"

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and looked at Lester. "No, I didn't ask to come back. I was offered a job with twice the pay." Her stomach clenched. What was she expecting; to find love? The new Rangemen were too young for her. All the staff she knew before had left or married. Lester's wedding ring glinted on his finger. _It's funny how I never noticed things like rings until I didn't have one to wear any more. _

"Grab your supplies. I'll buy you one of Ella's sandwiches," Lester said trying to lighten the mood. He was joking about buying the sandwich. They were one of the perks of the job. Low fat mayonnaise, lean meat and lots of veggies were standard equipment here. Ella's job was keeping the men healthy and lean.

Just to be polite, Stephanie followed Lester into the break room took a turkey on whole wheat sandwich. She took one bite of the sandwich, chewed methodically and swallowed. Everything tasted like cardboard lately. It felt like a rock had landed in her stomach. She made small talk for a few minutes, drank some water and took the sandwich back to her cubbie. There she could throw it away without anyone noticing.

She was running a background check for a new hire when Bobby stuck his head into her cubby later that afternoon, "Tank wants to see you."

"Is something wrong?" Stephanie asked.

"No, there's a skip that needs picked up."

"Stephanie, Boston Rangeman has a female FTA in Denver they need help retrieving. They would like your help escorting her back to Boston. Can you find someone to care for your daughter?"

"My sister will watch her."

"Be ready to leave in an hour."

Stephanie ran home to kiss her daughter and pack a few things. When she returned to Rangeman she parked next to a black Porsche 918 Spyder. Her heart stopped. "Please don't let my partner be Ranger," she prayed under her breath. "I'll enroll Arianna in catechism classes. She can even go to Catholic school next year. Anyone else Lord, Binkie, Tank, Cal, well maybe not Cal he still scares people."

The elevator door opened and out stepped Ranger.

"Okay, fine. No parochial school!"Four hours on a plane with Ranger. What would she say? _'I_ _hate your girlfriend? She's smart, probably loves to eat twigs and tree bark and looks like she could kick my ass?' How can I compete with that? There is no competition, accept your life and move on._ Still she missed Ranger, more than ever now that she'd gone back to work at Rangeman. She wished she'd told him she loved him years ago. Many times he'd told her 'I love you' sometimes joking about a condom, sometimes serious as a prayer, but she'd never said it back. Now it was too late.

_You can do this_. _Take out your best perky attitude and put it on,_ she told herself. Stephanie squared her shoulders, put on a smile and got out of her SUV.

**Possible trivia answers: **

**Places in Arizona: Scottsdale, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, Lake Havasu City, the London Bridge, Tucson**

**Something Lula almost always says in a book: "Your ass!"**

**Person married to Shirley the Whiner: Eddie Gazarra **

**I probably missed several possible answers, feel free to let me know.**


	4. Chapter 4

**The characters and a lot of the plot belong to Janet Evanovich. I'm glad she created them. They're so much fun to play with. Janet, I hope you don't mind, Stephanie and Ranger wanted to get out of Trenton for a while, so I took them on a road trip. I promise to bring them home soon. **

**Thank you everyone for reading Flip of the Coin. And especially thank you for your responses. They're sweeter than a hot fudge sundae and less fattening.**

**My favorite Beta, anniesmask, cleaned up my story and made it shine. Thank you anniesmask! You're so awesome!**

**Plum Trivia Time:**

**Name something found in a freezer. (I can remember five.)**

**Who held up a Frito-Lay truck?**

**Ranger has a cap that doesn't say Rangeman. What does it say?**

Stephanie's perky mood lasted until she closed the door to the Porsche. As she put on her seatbelt she inhaled Bulgari and warm Ranger. He still used the same shower gel. She took another deep breath. The scent was heaven, tangled sheets and smooth Cuban American skin. _'How you gonna stop yourself from taking a bite outta that?'_ Lula once asked her. _I have no idea. I will though. I just will._ Her sore stomach twisted tighter.

Then Ranger handed her a cold turquoise bottle.

"Mylanta?" she asked.

"It's for your stomachache. Open it up and chug some."

She took three big gulps of the antacid. The cold minty cream slid down her throat. The Mylanta smothered the fire with an icy calm. "How did you know my stomach hurts?"

"You work in a security firm, Stephanie. Everyone knows. Lester lost ten bucks to Bobby today betting he could get you to eat a sandwich. There's an entire shelf in the refrigerator devoted to stomach remedies waiting for you. I grabbed one."

"Is this another bet?"

"Whose name is written on the bottom?"

"Tank's"

"Call Bobby and tell him to give Tank the fifty."

When she called, Bobby put her on speaker phone. "Could you repeat that?"

"I had some of the mint crème flavored Mylanta. It says 'Tank' on the bottom."

She heard groans and laughter from the control room floor. "You could have picked the cherry, Bombshell, you always liked the sweet stuff," said Bobby.

"I didn't pick it. Ranger handed it to me."

"Hey! Interference on the play! It doesn't count."

"I don't think so," Stephanie replied, "My stomach doesn't hurt and it's been months." She ended the call.

"I'm still entertainment?" she asked Ranger.

"You're good at your job and you make the men smile. Trenton Rangeman is lucky to have you. If you decided to move; Atlanta, Miami and Boston would fight for you."

_Boston? And live that close to a happily married Ranger with little mini-Rangers running around? _The thought made her open up the plastic bottle and take another swig. The beaches in Miami might be fun. "I'll remember that. My sister and mother may push me over the edge one day."

"Your mother always was center of the Burg gossip chain."

"Valerie runs it now. She and Mom compare notes every night."

They were flying over the Mississippi River. She had his laptop open reading the file on the FTA they would escort to Boston. Erika Essell was an accountant at Harmon Machine Shop. She allegedly embezzled $85 thousand by creating a fictitious employee and setting up a direct deposit for his paycheck. The deposit went to her bank account. When she failed to appear Boston Rangeman investigated her relatives around the country. A fellow bondsman, Cliff Rhodes, found her at her grandmother's home. He was holding her until transportation to Massachusetts could be arranged.

She finished reading the file on Erika. Then, to stay busy, she began searching websites for wanted suspects. A picture of an expensively dressed woman looked interesting, so she opened the link and began to read. Aubrey Fridell wore a slim sapphire dress in her photo. It matched her eyes. Under the heading birthmarks, tattoos or other distinguishing features a note was made of one brown spot on her right iris. Stephanie couldn't see it in the photo. Looking for brown spot in a sea of blue eyed women would be like finding a needle in a haystack, Stephanie thought. Fridell was 5' 8" and her natural blond hair hinted at her Swedish ancestry. She attended Princeton University, studying psychology for three years. It didn't say why she left before her senior year. Now she made her living by dating recently divorced middle aged men and convincing them to invest in her non-existent line of hair care products. She was FTA in Trenton for fraud. LA and Seattle had a $50,000 reward for information leading to her capture too. Stephanie closed her eyes.

Too many sleepless nights had caught up with her. She drifted into sleep. The drone of the airplane became a deep rumbling car engine. It was Big Blue, her Grandma's old '57 Buick. She dreamed that she was locked in the trunk. Frantically she searched for a way out. There wasn't a crowbar, safety release latch or hammer in the trunk. She began pounding on the lid, but no one heard her. As the dream continued the trunk lid opened and Joe stood there holding out his hand. "Come with me," he said. Then Joe morphed into Ranger who opened his mouth. Out of Ranger's mouth came Lester's deep voice asking, "Why are you here?" She started to answer but Old Blue drove away, the trunk lid open, with Stephanie still inside helplessly watching Ranger slow motion fade into the distance.

Ranger took the laptop from Stephanie, closed it and put it under the seat. She had fallen asleep. Her forehead creased. Looking fierce, she twitched restlessly. It was distracting because she was obviously having a nightmare. And she was drawing attention.

With a sigh, he pushed up the armrest between them, unbuckled her seatbelt and eased her head onto his shoulder. She relaxed and curled into him. Her hand came up and rested on his shoulder. She felt right, as if she'd always belonged there. If Gina had been traveling with him, she would have stayed awake no matter how tired she felt. She would have chatted quietly with him or read a novel. Nothing in Gina's life ever gave her nightmares. She didn't need a knight in shining armor. _It was too bad_, Ranger thought. He made a living protecting people. He made a great knight, but Ranger never felt the need to protect his fiancee.

As he thought about this, Stephanie's hand slid down his shirt to his chest. Her thumb stroked his nipple.

He almost groaned. Long ago, when he'd stroke her breast like that she'd gasp and arch into his palm. He shifted in his seat and smiled. The things she did when she was half awake…her hand trailed lower. A gray haired lady with a matching mustache across the aisle looked on in interest. Ranger grabbed Stephanie's hand and held it to his chest. A commercial airline wasn't the place to introduce her to the mile high club. And he belonged to someone else.

He put his poker face back on. What was he thinking anyway? He never considered when he'd hired her that they would work alone together. The miles between Boston and Trenton made it easy to ignore the attraction he still felt for her. Now that she was here, nearly sitting in his lap, what would he do?

He needed her to escort a female FTA. She could go places, such as women's restrooms, where a man could not. Boston didn't have a female security agent. Stephanie was the logical choice to help pick up Erika Essell. Next time he'd assign someone else to accompany Steph. So, then she could curl into another Rangeman on another long flight? He stifled a growl. Not likely to happen. Can't have it both ways he thought. This trip he shared with his Babe. He was going to enjoy every minute of it. Tomorrow night he'd go back to Boston, live in an updated Victorian Mansion, eat organic food always, get married, run in the park with his beautiful wife while pushing a jogger's baby stroller, and never go to Trenton, New Jersey again.

Stephanie sighed. Ranger placed his cheek against her head and sighed too. He liked eating healthy, but he hoped she wanted ice cream.

The next morning Stephanie and Ranger met Cliff, the bondsman holding Erika. He and Ranger discussed the capture and planned the logistics of transporting her from the safe house to the airport.

Half-heartedly she listened as she turned to gaze through the office windows. To the East of Denver lay absolutely flat farm land. To the West, the Rocky Mountains rose straight up from the base of the city. Her eyes traveled to the tall mountains. They stretched long and jagged, a barrier without any gaps to see the other side. Houses and large buildings sat in a flat spot part way up the hillside. They were miniscule compared to the snow topped mountain itself.

"That's Golden, Colorado, where they make Coors beer," Cliff interrupted her thoughts.

"That's a whole city up there? I never understood why the song called them 'Purple Mountain Majesties' before," murmured Stephanie. She turned back to the men. "As a kid, I went on a field trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania once. That's the farthest West I've been before today."

Cliff looked at Ranger, one eyebrow raised slightly. "Do you want to use my truck?"

Ranger nodded. "I'll call Boston. We'll take the FTA back on a red eye. Woody will call with the details," Ranger said.

"If you take I-70 to Breckenridge, there's a gondola ride to the Crystal Peak Ski Lodge. You can find a good steak there. My team will meet you at the airport with Ms. Essell tonight." Cliff tossed his keys to Ranger.

The keys went to a big, red Dodge Ram. It had all the bounty hunter gadgets right down to leg shackles and floor rings for securing a prisoner. Driving back to the hotel, they changed out of uniforms and into jeans and t- shirts.

Heading west, they drove straight toward the mountains. Still there wasn't a gap to drive through. _How will this work? _She wondered. It looked like they would run into the mountain. When the highway reached the base of the Rocky Mountains Stephanie could see a tunnel, the Eisenhower Tunnel, going through a shorter mountain. It took 45 minutes to drive through.

On the other side she wasn't looking at the mountains anymore. They surrounded her. Stephanie leaned down and craned her neck looking up trying to see. Even in August thick snow blanketed the peaks. Fir trees climbed the mountainsides. Wispy grasses and tiny white flowers grew among the trees and rocks. Boulders jutted out of the ground as if they were large wild mushrooms. Homes with steep roofs and huge windows clung to the hillsides like mountain goats. Tan earth showed through cuts where mountain had been sliced away to level the roadbed. Still the highway bent and rose through the land. Ranger turned left toward Breckenridge.

They took the gondola ride to the ski lodge. Ranger watched as Stephanie stared down at a ravine with a stream running through the bottom. He wouldn't be surprised to find nose prints on the glass. There was a couple on the other side of the aisle. The trip must have been the man's idea, Ranger observed, because the woman looked bored, impatient. A dragonfly flew around the around the car trying to find a place to land. But Stephanie was completely unaware of everything but the grassy ski slope they were passing now.

Ranger poked her side.

"Aaaaaah!" She jumped, twisted and clawed at the air.

Ranger laughed. "Got to pay attention to your surroundings, Steph."

"That wasn't funny!" She gasped.

"Of course it was." He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close in an unspoken apology.

She looked into his eyes. _He has the longest lashes. If I had eyelashes that long I'd never need mascara. _ He smelled warm, inviting. A new fire, nothing like a stomachache, burned low in her belly. They moved closer. Their lips brushed. She nipped his bottom one. He kissed her, long and slow. A bump and sway interrupted their kiss. The gondola had arrived at the docking platform. "Mmmm, I guess we both need to pay attention," she said.

**Okay, true confessions, there's more to this chapter. It isn't quite finished. I just couldn't wait anymore. I'm sorry to keep all of you waiting so long too. I admire the authors here who post quickly. When I grow up I want to be like you.**

**Trivia Answers:**

**Items found in a freezer: chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate ice cream, a dead body, Stouffer's Family Size Macaroni and Cheese, Joe Morelli**

**The woman who held up a Frito-Lay truck: Carol Cantell**

**Ranger's other cap says SEAL. It belonged to a friend who died.**

**Thanks again for taking the time to read and respond You rock!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello! Thank you for your reviews, I loved them.**

**The characters and much of the story belong to a creative writer named Janet Evanovich.**

**This chapter is only self-edited because my beta, Annie's Mask is busy with mid-terms. **

**I don't have any trivia for you tonight, so sorry.**

The gondola still swayed lightly. "You're poaching," Ranger said.

"And?"

"Stop it," he breathed.

Incredibly, ironically, Stephanie found her role reversed. Ranger used to be the other man when Joe was her boyfriend. He was always teasing, always tempting. Now, she was the third corner to the triangle, the other woman. She could play this game. Ranger taught her well back when her only responsibility was feeding a hamster. She didn't want to be the other woman, but it wasn't her decision. It was Ranger's. _That must be why he never forced the boyfriend issue_ she thought. He had given her the freedom to choose, but he didn't make it an easy choice. Neither would she.

Standing on her tip toes, she leaned in and whispered into the shell of his ear. "You don't mean that."

He shivered. Plastered against his body, she felt proof that he didn't want her to stop. He took a deep breath, stepped back and tousled her curls. "Let's go find that steak."

She also took a cleansing breath. Another five minutes in a clinch with him and she'd be looking for a room, not a steak. Stephanie needed a little space, a chance to get control of her hormones. "I want to stop by the gift shop. Arianna needs a souvenir and this mountain air is a bit chilly. I'm cold. I want a hoodie."

Ranger raised one eyebrow. It said, 'You didn't feel cold to me.'

_Great, we're back to the mental telepathy thing. _"I'll meet you at the restaurant in fifteen minutes."

As she walked to the gift shop she thought about the past 24 hours. Her stomach didn't hurt as much, though it was a little tender. She swallowed the last of the Mylanta and hoped it wasn't addictive. It was her new best friend.

This day trip to Breckenridge was more fun than she'd had in months, but what did it mean? They would go back to Trenton and Boston tonight. Life wouldn't change. There was no hand of fate to rearrange circumstances.

Inside the shop Stephanie found simple but elegant earrings made from a pair of feather tips for Ari. Then she found a fleece jacket with the Crystal Peak logo to wear. As she approached the counter she caught part of the conversation the man at the counter was having with the sales clerk.

"…the scent is fresh and it's so soft. Here, feel this." The man leaned over the counter and the clerk reluctantly touched his hair. "Smell it, isn't it great? We're looking for an upscale trendy spot to launch our travel size shampoo and conditioner. Then we'll expand to a larger market. Your ski shop will be known as the home of Jacaranda Hair Systems."

"I don't know you'd have to talk to the manager and it's her day off. Can you come back tomorrow?" said the sales clerk.

A woman with long, straight coppery hair strode up to him and slid her arm around his waist. "Let's go for a short hike. Later we can register for the night." They walked toward the door.

_A hair care line…wasn't that the scam Aubrey Fridell was doing? The reward for her capture is $50,000. Aubrey had blonde hair and this woman was a redhead, but it was easy to dye hair, right?_

"Kim is that you?" Stephanie asked her.

Just as Stephanie hoped, the woman turned around. Looking confused she said, "Excuse me? I'm Autumn."

She had green eyes, not blue with a brown spot. "Oh, I'm sorry," Stephanie lied, "You looked like a friend from back home." As Stephanie turned toward the counter, the couple left for the hotel lobby.

It was mid-afternoon and the restaurant was nearly empty. Stephanie found Ranger sitting at a table near a window. The Rockies were great, but she was ready to go home Jersey and her daughter. Arianna had a softball game tonight and she'd never missed a game before.

"Earth to Stephanie," Ranger said. "You look like you're a million miles away."

"Only a couple thousand, Arianna's game is starting. The coach put her at shortstop."

"We could have left this morning. You might have seen it."

"And miss the Rockies? No way! Thanks for today. It meant a lot to me." The best part was kissing him, but she wasn't sure he'd want to know that.

The salads arrived. She decided to talk about safer things.

"So how did you meet Gina?" Stephanie asked.

"She's a CPA with the firm that takes care of Rangeman business. She caught my eye and I asked her out."

"No, earth shattering rescues? No life changing events?"

"Not every love is earth shattering, not every event is a perilous journey to the other side," Ranger replied. "Sometimes love sneaks up on you…it's just there."

She blinked. _After 20 years of chasing bad men and hot women Ranger didn't fall head over heels in love? He slipped into it like warm bathwater? It sounded boring. It didn't sound like Ranger either. _

"Lucky you, in my life everything is dramatic," she said. Life with Joe had been a wild rollercoaster ride complete with ups, downs, twists and turns. She wouldn't trade any of it, except for that horrible last day.

"It's dramatic because you make it that way."

_Was Ranger right? Did she create her own drama?_ Thinking about Joe twisted her stomach back into a knot and she was out of Mylanta.

The waitress arrived. She set the platters of steak in front of them. "Can I get you anything else?"

The smell from the greasy slab of meat in front of her was making her nauseous. She cut at her meat. The juice ran into a thin pink puddle on her plate. _Just one bite, I can do it._

Ranger looked up from his steak. She wasn't fooling him. He pulled out his wallet and placed a large bill on the table. He walked to Stephanie's side of the booth and held out his hand. "Come with me."

She took his hand. He led her outside where they walked on a trail. Aspens whispered in the breeze as they crossed a foot bridge. They sat on a bench sat facing the creek they'd just crossed. "What's eating you Stephanie?"

The guilt from Joe's death weighed on her. How could she tell him what she'd done? She shook her head.

"Steph, you'll never feel better until you talk about it. It's like you feel guilty that Joe died. It's as if you had a fight and you told him to go to Hell and he did."

She stared open mouthed. Then she burst into tears. Between sobs she choked, "No, I told him to fucking figure it out I wouldn't be there when he got home."

"Then he didn't come home," Ranger said.

She nodded.

"Babe," Ranger said. Then he held her as she cried. Her breathing slowed and he handed her a napkin from the restaurant. As she mopped her face he asked, "What were you fighting about?"

"Money, we were in a tight spot with our bills. I wanted to work part time at the bonds office. Joe didn't want me to work there. He said that Vinnie didn't run his business right; he took too many risks with his bonds. He wanted me to go to my boss at the insurance agency and ask again to become an agent instead of the receptionist. I didn't want to do that. I was afraid she'd replace me with someone else if I complained. Joe said I needed to say what I wanted. Then he said never mind, he'd figure it out some way. I said "You'd better fucking figure it out."

"And then Joe went to work?" Ranger asked.

She nodded. "I didn't mean it. I was waiting for him to come home so I could tell him I was sorry and we'd find an answer together and that I loved him."

"That was the day he was shot. He didn't come home," Ranger said.

Again she nodded.

"You received a large life insurance settlement. It was more than enough to cover the expenses and you feel guilty?"

"I know it was in the line of duty. If we hadn't fought maybe he'd still be here."

"The last thing you told him was to fuck off?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Stephanie," He stopped talking long enough to lift her chin until she looked him in the eyes. "Early in the Afghan War I shared a tent with a buddy, Dan McCauley. It was June in that Hell hole. During the day it was a hundred and twenty degrees. Hot wind blew sand into every crevice mechanical, electronic, human or otherwise. The water was rationed. At night wind scorpions crawled over our tent making scratching and clicking noises.

"What are wind scorpions?"" she asked.

"They're sort of a cross between a scorpion and a spider. The body is the size of a dinner plate. The legs are like king crabs, except they're tan." Ranger said.

"We came back from the latrine one morning and found the tent flap open. Inside a wind scorpion was crawling near my cot."

"What did you do?" she asked.

"We screamed."

"You screamed?"She gave a small watery laugh.

"Stephanie, it was the size of a rat."

"Why didn't you shoot it?"

"And get spider goo everywhere? We threw knives and boots at it and chased it out of the tent. After that we got into a fist fight over who left the damned flap open." Ranger looked away. He stared at a black stink bug crawling across the muddy path. Then he looked at the creek's gurgling water. He continued his story in a flat voice.

"I'd known him for years. We went through boot camp together. I pinned McCauley when he made First Sgt. On the way to chow that night there was a wind storm. It kicked the dirt into the air and made it impossible to see. He strayed off the path and stepped on a Bouncing Betty. Mama Macaroni had nothing on McCauley. His foot with the boot still on was found on the mess tent roof. He was still my friend, but the last time I saw him I punched his jaw. Friends don't always leave at convenient times."

She thought about Joe and sighed. Even when they were angry, they still loved each other. It would have been better to say "I love you" on that terrible day, but there was nothing to be done about it now. One fight didn't erase 15 years of love and 10 years of marriage. Her stomach finally and completely relaxed.

**I love reviews, even ones with constructive criticism because they help me grow as an author.**

**Thanks for taking the time to read my story!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for your reviews! I love them!**

**Janet Evanovich owns the characters and a lot of the plot to this fan fic. **

**Thank you, Janet for letting me play with your friends. Joe is fine. He took an extended vacation in Italy. He's visiting relatives and seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He's having an awesome time. Not to worry, he'll be home soon. The rest of the gang is headed over to Pino's for pizza and a brew. If you hurry you can catch up with them.**

**Annie's Mask did the beta work for me. You rock, Annie! **

…**.**

**Plum Trivia Time:**

**Who is Vinnie's Father-in-Law?**

**Name something fed to Rex.**

**If Ranger showed up at your door wearing a tux covered with feathers from Brenda's boa, would you turn him away?**

…

Chapter 5

Exhausted, Stephanie leaned on Ranger's shoulder a bit longer. Sitting on the bench in front of the gurgling creek and whispering aspens in Breckenridge it felt like Trenton was light years away. The distance helped her finally talk about her fight with Joe. She didn't know how she would feel when she went back to Trenton, but she was ready try living her life without him.

She looked up at Ranger's face. He was still the hottest, best looking man she'd ever met. He'd done and seen things most men never would experience and never complained. She never noticed before that his eyes looked tired, as if they'd seen too much. It didn't make him more handsome, but Stephanie realized she'd never loved him more. She wondered, should she tell him how she felt? _He's engaged, not to you. But I could love him more. I could love him better. _She argued with her conscience. _You don't know that. Let him choose. What if you tell him how you feel and he still picks Gina? _Being rejected outright by Ranger was more than she could bear right now. Instead, she said what was both safe and true. "Thank you, Ranger. I feel better now."

"You're welcome. Are you hungry now? I don't think you've eaten all day."

"You haven't either." That's when she realized she'd taken Ranger away from his steak. "Ranger! You didn't eat your steak. I am so sorry."

"There will be others. Are you hungry?"

Deep down inside her a craving bubbled to the surface. "Can I have a doughnut?" Stephanie asked.

Ranger shook his head. "I should have guessed. Do I get to lick the frosting from your lips?" He asked with a mischievous grin.

"Yeesh! I thought you were engaged. If you were my man and you came home with doughnut breath I'd go looking for the girl with chocolate on her fingers. She'd regret it too."

"Something to remember," Ranger said. "There's a bakery shop near the restaurant. Let's see if they have doughnuts."

After stopping at the bakery they found another bench nearby. She looked inside her white crinkly bakery bag. Two chocolate cream doughnuts with rainbow sprinkles smiled up at her. It had been a long time since she'd eaten one. She took one from the bag and bit it. Sweet cream, chocolate icing and fluffy dough melted on her tongue. Closing her eyes she took another bite. "Mmmm," she said as she gave herself completely to the doughnut.

Her pleasure filled moment was interrupted by a flash that lit the inside of her eyelids. Opening her eyes, she glared at the camera Ranger held. "Are you kidding me? Is there a bet on doughnuts?"

"It's the jackpot. This picture is worth a grand."

"Really? Let me see it." Once she said this to Hal and he showed her his stun gun. Then she tagged him with it. As soon as she got the camera from Ranger she'd delete the embarrassing picture.

"Nice try, but I'm not as dumb as Hal."

She lunged for the camera, but he held it over his head out of her reach. Further and further she stretched trying to get it. His arms were too long. She climbed onto his lap, but couldn't get it. As she reached still farther he stretched more, moving the camera far beyond her grasp. Trying to grab it wasn't working. Realizing she still held half a doughnut Stephanie grinned. She backed up a bit, then smushed it into his laughing mouth.

He looked shocked.

She had always, always wanted to feed her favorite muscleman a doughnut, but lacked the courage. Now that she'd done it, she knew she'd crossed a line. Frosting smeared across his lips. Ranger raised one eyebrow. He swallowed the doughnut. Then he claimed her mouth. Her hand slipped down his outstretched arm and tangled into his hair. The one that had held the doughnut rushed to meet it. Ranger's hand that held the camera lowered down her back. He held her tight. His other hand was at her waist, the thumb caressed the side swell of her breast. As the kiss deepened she slid one hand behind her back grasping for the camera, but his fingers were too strong. She couldn't pry it away.

He broke the kiss and panting, rested his forehead on hers. Their hearts were racing. "Not gonna happen, Babe," he grinned.

It took all her will power to not grind her hips into his lap. _Oh, well, that was definitely a thousand dollar kiss. _"Fine," she said. Taking a deep breath she continued, "I guess I should I wash the chocolate off my hands. We need to take our FTA back to Boston."

Walking to the ladies room Stephanie wondered, _Why? Why did he have a fiancée waiting for him?_ It seemed like the cards would always be stacked against them. The first time she was with Joe. Now he had Gina waiting for him. She seemed so wrong for him, so boring, so perfect. _You're jealous. Admit it._ She knew she was but that didn't make her feel any better. In fact it made her a bit mad. In her frustration she opened the door to the restroom harder than she'd intended.

Bang! It hit the wall on the other side of the door. The red headed woman from the gift shop, Autumn, was at the sink rinsing her contact lens in a solution. The noise startled her. She jumped and the lens on the end of her finger flew through the air and landed on the floor.

"I'm so sorry," Stephanie said getting down on the floor to help her look for it. "Here it is," she said as she picked up one bright green contact lens. It was the type of lens that changed the color of the wearer's eyes. Stephanie felt a chill rush down her spine as she held out the contact. If someone could disguise her hair color then why not change eye color too? This woman could be Aubrey Fridell the fugitive with the big bounty on her head. _Look at me, _she thought at the woman in front of her.

The lady who called herself Autumn was also on her knees looking for the contact. "Thank you," she said. She looked up at Stephanie.

Stephanie froze. It was a bizarre sight. One eye was still wore the emerald green contact. The other was blue with a big brown spot. The odds of finding two women with a multi colored eye like that must be one in a million. She had to be the con artist with the big bucks reward on her head. Didn't her boyfriend try to sell hair products to the clerk? _Maybe he is her next mark. She just changed her appearance so she couldn't be found. _"You're Aubrey Fridell and you're wanted in three states for fraud," Stephanie said confidently.

Aubrey grabbed for the contact lens but Stephanie threw it out of her reach under the stall door. She lunged for Aubrey who backpedaled toward the stall. Stephanie caught her by the ankle and pulled her toward the door. As she did that Aubrey hit her head on the toilet. Aubrey screamed and kicked at Stephanie. But Stephanie wasn't about to let an FTA worth $50,000 get away. Pulling hard Stephanie dragged Aubrey out of the stall by the ankles. Stephanie heard the restroom door open and black boot stepped up next to her. With one last effort she flipped Aubrey onto her stomach. Stephanie sat on Aubrey's legs and a pair of mocha latte hands placed a pair of cuffs one of Aubrey's wrists, then the other.

Ranger stepped back and asked "What's going on?"

"This is Aubrey Fridell, you can tell because she has a brown spot on her right iris," Stephanie panted. She has a boyfriend and they were trying to sell hair care products to the gift shop. She's wanted in California and Washington State for conning men into investing in a fictitious line of shampoos. I think her new boyfriend is her next mark. She's FTA in New Jersey for the same thing. Les Sebring is the bond holder."

"Look at me," Ranger commanded.

Aubrey glared up at him.

"Nice," Ranger said.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Ranger sat in the back of a plane with a make my day scowl on his face. Across the aisle sat three women that he was traveling with to the East Coast. Erika Essel, the FTA he'd gone to Denver to retrieve, sat next to the window. Stephanie was seated in the middle chair and a con artist, Aubrey Fridell sat in the aisle seat. She was the reason Ranger wore the don't-mess-with-me frown. He didn't want any problems from her. Half the bounty hunters in the country had spent months looking for her. He didn't know how Stephanie did it, but she found Ms. Fridell in Breckenridge. Was she psychic or lucky? It was hard to say, but he was going to make sure Les Sebring knew Stephanie belonged to Rangeman.

Almost shaking his head, he remembered the day's events. This trip had not gone according to plan. The mission, retrieve an FTA from Denver, was a simple one. It should have gone off without a hitch. It probably would have if he had a different partner. Instead, he drove Stephanie through the mountains, kissed her, held her while she grieved over Morelli's death and told her a story he'd never shared. Not even Tank knew about the fight he had with McCauley on the day he died. And Tank was with them in Afghanistan. Then he found her wrestling a woman, the bored one from the gondola, on the restroom floor. They were clawing and scratching over something lying on the floor. Then Stephanie flipped this woman over as if they were Jello wrestling. Since Ranger didn't know what was going on he went with his gut instinct and cuffed the woman with the long red hair. It turned out to be a great move. She was a fugitive. The capture fee would provide a nice little nest egg for Stephanie and her daughter. Rangeman would receive ten percent for helping with the capture, which would more than pay for the sight-seeing trip. Sebring would be charged for the extra plane ticket. When Stephanie was involved nothing was simple, he should have remembered that. No, things hadn't gone according to plan, but he was proud of her. And he would do it all again just to have another mind blowing chocolate covered kiss.

The plane began its descent. He sighed. His real life was approaching. Tomorrow he'd take Gina out for lunch and they'd spend the afternoon taking tours of possible wedding venues. It would be upscale and public with a justice of the peace officiating. He told himself that he was glad to put distance between Stephanie and him. She was a distraction, a temptation he couldn't afford right now.

After the other passengers exited the plane, Gina, Woody and Brent entered the plane. The Rangemen were taking Erika Essell to the police station. Then he and Stephanie would continue to Trenton with Aubrey Fridell. Ranger wanted to supervise her drop off. He was going to make sure there weren't any complications for Stephanie. She deserved full credit for the capture. He wondered why Gina had boarded the plane though.

She had sprinted down the aisle to sit on Ranger's lap. "I couldn't wait another minute to see you!" Gina said. She planted a perfectly wonderful kiss on his lips.

And it was a great kiss three days ago. Now it was nice, even sweet, when compared to Stephanie's firey ones. He'd get over Steph he told himself. He'd done it once before, he'd do it again. "Why are you here Gina?"

"I'm going to Trenton with you." She nuzzled into him. "You smell like chocolate." She began picking at a lock of his hair. "How did you get frosting in your hair?"

Ranger was confused. "You couldn't wait? It's only a few more hours, Gina." He didn't answer her question about the chocolate frosting.

"Sorry boss," Woody said as he reached the back of the plane. "I tried to call but you had turned your phone off for the landing. Trenton Rangeman needs help. Tank is sick."

…**..**

**Plum Trivia Answers:**

**Who is Vinnie's father-in-law?...Harry the Hammer**

**Name something fed to Rex….hamster crunchies, cheese doodle, green bean, carrot, pizza crust, pumpkin spice doughnut. He's always eating something. Please feel free to post others things he eats. The list goes on and on.**

**If Ranger showed up at your door wearing a tux covered with feathers from Brenda's boa, would you turn him away?...Nope, I wouldn't either.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm sorry to leave Gina on Ranger's lap for so long. Thank you for reading this next chapter.**

**The characters and a lot of the plot belong to Janet Evanovich. Thank you for letting me play with them.**

Trenton Rangeman ran smoothly with or without Tank at the helm. The Rangeman Employee Handbook clearly mapped the hierarchy of staff on page two. Emergency protocol in the event of the injury or death of a supervisor was found on page three. Since Tank was out of commission, Lester took command. No questions asked. Trenton Rangeman didn't need Ranger to keep the business running smoothly. Lester needed Ranger's help for an entirely different reason.

Ranger was the only one who could keep Tank's sorry butt in bed.

Tank was a tom cat, scratched and scarred. And like an old alley cat, Tank didn't have enough sense to stay home and lick his wounds when there was a fight to be had. Only a street fight hadn't waylaid him this time. His appendix ruptured. It pissed Tank off that something so useless and the size of a thumb stopped him cold. He hurt too, which only made him meaner.

Ranger held a large box as he let himself into Tank's apartment. He looked at Tank limply laying in the recliner. His chocolate skin had a gray tinge to it and his eyes were dull. In spite of how badly he must have felt Tank had tried to return to the Rangeman office, twice.

Walking into the living room, he removed a scanner, a laptop and other electronics from the box. He shook his head at Tank. "This is messed up. I was running a multimillion dollar company. Now, I'm your babysitter. Why don't you stay home like a good little boy so I can go back to work?"

Tank growled then carefully touched his side and winced. "Shut up. I got stuff to do."

Ranger raised one eyebrow. "You **got** to park your rear end in that chair for three weeks. Why'd you make Lester second in command if he can't run the show?"

"He can run it alright. What's the box for?"

"Then let him." Ranger strode through the apartment checking rooms, under tables, and in corners. Then he entered the master bedroom and opened the closet door. He pulled combat boots, cross trainers, biker boots, some ratty green flip flops, even a pair of fuzzy tiger slippers and threw them into the box. He checked under the bed for more. Next, he searched in the bathroom for shoes. On his way out of the room he scooped up Tank's wallet and the car keys that sat on the night stand and tossed them on top of the shoes. Then he walked to the front door. He had handed the box to the Rangeman waiting on the other side before Tank realized what happened.

Tank struggled to sit up. "Fuck! You took my shoes! What? Are you afraid I'll escape?"

"Not anymore," Ranger said.

On the other side of town Stephanie sat cross-legged in a cemetery, next to Joe's headstone. She'd thought about bringing flowers for his grave. She brought a couple beers instead. That seemed more like Joe. She took a sip from her long necked bottle. Another one, opened, leaned against the headstone. She began to quietly talk, as if Joe were really there, as if he could hear. It felt a bit ridiculous talking to the air in a graveyard, but she had to somehow communicate with him. Tell him how sorry she was, how much she loved him. Then she told Joe about Ari, catching a pop fly, getting a home run, her last game would be next Saturday and how tall their little girl was. She talked about tree roots in the sewer line and the plumber that said 'crap don't run uphill' and the big mess he made when he dug up the front yard to replace it. She was working for Tank at Rangeman but don't worry, she almost never worked anything but the computer searches desk. "Oh, Joe," she said finally, "I miss you. How am I ever going to make it without you?" She ran her hand over his name and placed a kiss on the cold smooth granite. As she stood to leave, she noticed something glinting in the grass. She picked up the quarter and slid it into her pocket. Pretending it was from him, she whispered, "Thanks Joe."

When Stephanie arrived at her desk the next morning she found a small box in the top drawer. A note was attached. It said: "Tank has feeds into the building's surveillance system. In the box is the scrambler fob. Can you supply some entertainment? Thanks, R." Under her desk sat another box, much larger and full of shoes.

It sounded intriguing. What could she do with a box of shoes and a scrambler? Two huge slippers sat on top of the pile. There was a stuffed tiger head on each toe. Either an old girlfriend gave them to him or Tank was a marshmallow inside. She grinned. Tank was never going to live the fluffy slippers down. She'd make sure of it. Grabbing one of them and the pushing the button on the fob Stephanie left her cubby to play "Where's Waldo?" with Tank.

She changed tactics picking it up underneath stacks of papers or stuffing it in her jacket to move it to a new location. Sometimes Ranger would text to let her know when Tank fell asleep.

On Thursday Ranger walked into Tank's living room buttoning a gray dress shirt. Apparently, Tank had only been pretending to be asleep the last time he texted Stephanie. On the flat screen the office surveillance system showed Stephanie climbing up a ladder next to a bookcase. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a bun, a few curly tendrils escaped around her neck. She wore white blouse, a black pencil skirt with a modest slit up the back, and four inch black stilettos. The ladder teetered ever so slightly as she stretched toward the next to the top shelf. He imagined playing naughty librarian with Stephanie. Judging by Tank's goofy expression, they were thinking the same thing.

"You're a creepy old voyeur," Ranger said as he straightened his tie.

"With an ass like that, who could resist?" Tank said.

He clenched his teeth. It shouldn't matter to Ranger who admired Stephanie, but it did.

Tank turned and looked at Ranger briefly before returning his attention to the monitor. "Headed out?"

"Gina wants to see The Witches."

Tank shook his head. "You must be in love. She's got you by the short hairs."

He shrugged. "It doesn't hurt to compromise now and then."

"Sure, now and then, this is the third trip to Broadway this week. Going to plays, selecting china, running marathons, you compromise all you want. Does Gina compromise, say go to the range or watch action movies. Does she help you play jokes on your friends?" Tank nodded toward Stephanie, who was placing a pair of sunglasses on the tiger slipper's nose.

Ranger paused. Gina wasn't a princess. Beautiful in a slim athletic way, she ran endless miles training for marathons. She worked hard at her job. But, it seemed that they always did what she enjoyed. He didn't really mind. But did she compromise? Ranger frowned trying to remember.

Then there was Stephanie. Last week was the first time he could remember talking with her about anything that wasn't work related. She was a great tumble in the hay, but did she ever see him as anything other than a car dealer who smelled great?

On the monitor Stephanie placed the tiger slipper next an old platoon photo. It now sported a pink bow to go with the sunglasses. She climbed down the ladder. Her spiked heel slipped and ladder wobbled. Both men held their breath until she regained her balance.

"I've got to go," Ranger said.

"Later," Tank said.

Tank liked the tiger slipper sitting next the army photo. It reminded him of Lula, who gave him the slipper, and Stephanie. _I'm turning into a marshmallow. _Dialing Lester he said, "I want to see Stephanie. And anyone who touches the stuff on my bookcase is toast."

**I tend to psych myself out when I write. I know you're probably going to hate this, but I'm not promising another chapter right away. Maybe that will take the pressure off and I can make better progress. **

**Thanks again for reading my work. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Here's the rest of the story. Like most things in life, it didn't turn out exactly as I'd planned. I think it turned out okay though. Hope you like it.**

**The characters belong to Janet Evanovich. I played with them for a bit, but they've run home now to the place they love best, Janet's laptop.**

That Thursday evening date had started out okay. Ranger and Gina talked as they drove into the city. Mostly she talked. She chattered on about her friends in Boston, a three story brownstone for sale that was close to the city's center and a marathon in upstate New York later in the month.

Ranger concentrated on driving. He tuned most of her chatter out. He was used to hearing her gabble. He thought about Tank's comment on compromise. How often did they drive this way, with Gina having a monologue and Ranger lost in his thoughts? He imagined that twenty years from now it would be the same. He'd drive. She'd talk and never notice he wasn't paying attention. Compromise, compromise…he'd never tried with Gina. It always seemed easier to go along with her plans. Ranger decided to give Gina a chance. "Julie's birthday is next month. There's a yacht excursion headed to the Bahamas. The owner is a friend I can make arrangements."

"We've already been away so long. I can't stay away any longer. She can come see us in Boston."

"She likes the sun and sandy beaches. We could spend a weekend at the Outer Banks in North Carolina, that's closer. It's her 21st birthday. We should do something special."

"Julie likes Boston just fine. We might be moving that weekend if we can close on the brownstone early."

She returned to the subject of house buying in earnest, but Ranger simmered with anger as he tried to tune her out.

Gina didn't even notice.

When they were ushered to their seats placed front and center, D12 and D13, Ranger decided that he'd compromised enough. He didn't like surprises. He picked seating strategically so no one could sneak up on him. Not only were they sitting with a thousand people behind them, but they were dead center in the middle of the row. Ranger couldn't make a quick exit if needed. He'd turned to Gina, "I don't like to sit in the front."

She patted his cheek and smiled. "I know," she'd said, "but you'll get used to it."

Ranger didn't want to get used it. He waited until they were back at the hotel room to break off the engagement with Gina. Then grabbing his gear, he left the hotel for Tank's place.

On the way over he called. "You care if I stay at your place for a few days?"

"No," Tank said.

"I'm changing Seven into an apartment again. I need a place to stay when I'm in Trenton. "

"Put a recliner in there. Next time I'm waylaid I'm going to be on premises," Tank said.

"Done," Ranger replied.

Tank ended the call and turned to look at Stephanie, who was sitting on his couch. She'd brought pizza, beer and an old action flick. "Ranger broke up with Gina."

_Finally!_ was Stephanie's initial reaction to the news. Then the questions began. Does this mean I have a chance with Ranger? Do I want a chance? Yes. She'd barley seen him since the return to Trenton, but she thought about him constantly. She'd learned from Joe's death that second chances are rare. Don't waste the opportunity. She smiled, but "Good," was all she said.

Ranger was surprised to find Stephanie in Tank's living room drinking a beer and arguing good naturedly with Tank. The smell of pizza mingled with the beer in the air. Ranger wished he'd stayed here. The entire night with Gina had been a fiasco.

Tank gestured at the television. The Scorpion King was playing. "Steph says we're like The Rock and Balthazar. What do you think?" Tank asked.

Ranger folded his arms and raised one eyebrow.

Stephanie laughed and pointed at the television where The Rock also folded his arms and looked pointedly at a woman. "They even look like you."

"No they don't! That man has a flat nose. No way do I have a flat nose," said Tank.

"Okay, except for the nose."

Ranger sat in the middle of the couch and sighed. He was tired of games. Coin tosses, women who gained power by outrunning him, women who stepped on his toes, he'd had enough. He looked at Stephanie and stretched his arm across the back of the cushions. It was time for one last game. It wasn't so much a game as it was an unspoken question, _Do you want this space by my side? _

Stephanie, who was an expert at all things left unspoken, slid closer. She put her head on his shoulder, and felt his heart beat under the hand she'd placed on his chest. The scent of skin warmed Bulgari welcomed her. "I used to watch this movie when I missed you."

"You seem to have memorized it."

Stephanie nodded. Then she took a deep breath and told Ranger what she'd known for years. "I love you."

"It's about damn time!" Tank grunted from his chair. Getting up he said, "I've seen enough, good night. I expect my shoes back tomorrow."

Ranger barely noticed as Tank left. "I love you too Babe," he said. Then he kissed her.


	9. Chapter 9

In the burg a softball game is a family event. Lines form at snack stands. Gossip flows as people wait to buy gooey, salty or fried things along with too small cups of sticky soda. Laughing children chase each other through, around and under the bleachers. Kids look up and wave to their parents as they take a turn at bat.

But, at this particular game no one was frying hamburgers in the snack shack, yet. Cousins weren't chasing. Adults weren't chatting. Dads and Uncles hadn't begun to tease their children either. All of that would come later.

Instead, at Trenton's newest ball field everyone in the bleachers stood hand over heart as an honor guard marched the flags onto the pitcher's mound. Then a soloist from the high school almost hit the highest note of the Star Spangled Banner as she sang. She was followed by the Mayor of Chambersburg. He gave a speech about bravery, selflessness and the sort of heroism that comes from living an honest everyday kind of life.

They left the field and two teams took their places on the baseball diamond. A young girl with wild curly brown hair and whiskey smooth eyes stepped onto new pitcher's mound. Arianna Morelli wound her pitch and the ball sailed over home plate. The player at home swished her bat catching nothing but air. The umpire called, "Strike one!"

The crowd cheered and the Joseph Morelli Memorial Park was officially open.

Ranger Manoso, the man who had donated the land for the new city park, smiled at his new step-daughter, Arianna. As she prepared for her next pitch his wife, Stephanie, whispered "Thank you," in his ear. He kissed her cheek and looked down. A shiny new quarter lay face up next to the big toe of his right boot. Ranger picked it up and smiled. "You're welcome," he said to no one in particular.


End file.
